The Branded Female Fencer

"Ugh."

"Be quiet."

It was Hamitte who captured the mascarade. After removing Mascarade's right shoulder in an instant, she pokes a dagger (aikuchi) at her throat and inquires.

"Seems like a seeker from what I've seen, but who is it?

"Ugh, guh. Who do you think I am? Who are you!

"I'm the one asking the questions"

I heard Hamitte's chilling voice and Mascalade's left thumb was broken. Blunt pain and unpleasant sweat convey Mascarade's back. Mascalade realized that this opponent meant it. Perhaps you only think about your life and other featherworms. Mascalade understood that if I answered in the wrong way, I would be killed for nothing.

Mascalade answered the query honestly.

"I am Amir. A woman who serves Lady Fenna, who brings her to the royal family of seekers."

"Why is that in a place like this?

"It's time to use it. I was out on urgent business and it was late. From now on, the gatekeeper will blame me. I know a way out of this underground waterway."

"Well, there's a way out."

Hamitte's tone raised his voice as if he had made a slight mockery of him. Mascalade continued to elucidate, while feeling teased.

"Yeah, it's a way out I stumbled upon."

"When?

"It won't even be a month. Then I use it a little bit."

"For what?

"... every other time."

"As far as your fingers go, you look like someone's wife?

"That's on my own!

Mascalade even made him act blushing in shame. The act to that extent was how many times Mascalade had lost it, and her acting ability was actor-face loss, but Hamitte was listening to Mascalade in a light tone with a thin, laugh.

"I see, who are they and what are their names?

"... butcher's batos."

"You're human. What's so good about it?

"Hmm, you want me to tell you? She's a lousy bitch."

"I heard the Seeker is pale, but you're different."

"Personal differences are in every race"

"Huh. Hey, I just wanted to ask you, what makes a human and a Seeker man different? Physical strength, or how good are you?

"Hey, I'm probably kidding."

"That's this line, Mr. Muscalade of Sconner?

Suddenly he was given his real name, and Mascarade's eyes can't hide the surprising color. I managed to see the other guy's face, but Mascalade's face, who tried to look back, was slapped to the ground.

"Guh."

"Who said I could turn this way? My questions are still going on."

"How do you know my name!?

"Anything about you. Where and how you were born, who raised you, what you are infiltrating here on whose orders for what purpose, and how you are transformed. What, shall I also say the name of the person I first fell in love with and the person and place of my first experience?

"Are you reading memories?!?

Mascalade realized Hamitte's ability to be behind him, but that's why it doesn't matter. Still calmer than earlier. If you can read memories freely, you can kill the person you used. Maybe I can read anything from a corpse.

Yet I am now kept alive. If that happens, there's one reason. I found out that the woman in the back was still in need of me. Mascalade felt that the woman upstairs was laughing as she held herself back downstairs and quickened her thoughts even though she was bored by humiliation. From here on out is my sell-in. How can I convey my usefulness, as I once did to Hidun. Mascalade was firmly sworn to his heart that he could not die here yet.

"If you can read my memories, you know what my real purpose is, too, right?

"Right. I certainly never thought of it as a restoration of Sconner. And I didn't even know that Sconner was dying."

"You're the ones who pushed me. And he's a traitor's seeker! Because of them, we..."

"You don't have to talk about it. What I already know."

"Then the story is quick. Let me live. That will help you. I don't care who I serve as long as my clan is safe."

"Well..."

Hamitte pretended to be bothered and laughed mean.

"If you say you can serve anyone, you mean you don't know when to betray them, do you? I can't trust someone like that, not very much. I figured I might as well kill him now."

But you're not supposed to know where the Orange Bull is.

"It wasn't even in your head."

"But there's a way to get there. I would go. You can't do this. Didn't I?"

Hamitte thought a lot. If you do have the ability and position of a mascarade, infiltration may be possible. I also know Hamitte. That the purpose of the black magicians is still unknown. It honestly didn't matter to Hamitte what the black magicians thought, but it was obvious that it was an issue that had to be confronted eventually.

Hamitte thought he was the one negotiating inside and lowered the blade softly.

"I see, it makes sense"

"I guess so. Then get out of my way. It's too heavy."

"I'm still concerned about my physique - I can listen to you and do it. But there is one condition. The period is less than a year to locate the home of the Orange Bull. Report back to me every month. If you fail to achieve results in a year, you will kill."

It was felt that Mascalade's tension had increased again as he was ambushed by Hamitte. But she replied quickly.

"Fine, within a year, huh?

"That's right. I won't postpone it for a day."

"Hmm. So? What will you give me for the reward of success?

To Mascalade, who says something radical here, Hamitte slammed her face to the ground and flew off while Mascalade was stuffy, hiding herself in the shadows.

"Don't get on with it, little thing. It's just one of a number of methodologies, such as your proposal. If you feel like it, don't forget that depending on my mood, you're always in a position to die."

Mascalade argued with something, but Hamitte didn't wait for her to say it. There was nothing more to talk about.

That's how after Hamitte left, Mascalade hit the ground a few times. When his fist ached and he felt blood staining, his self-control worked to avoid being suspicious around him, causing his hand to stop.

Anger can be controlled. There was only one thing left to regret.

"Damn... how long do I have to live like this!

Mascalade's squeezing voice disappeared to dissolve in the underground waterway.

Continued